Saving Money at Amusement Parks

by Jamie Rhein on

In the past two weeks my daughter has headed to Cedar Point (with the school percussion ensemble), Kings Island (with her track team) and Fort Rapids, an indoor amusement park (for an end of the 8th-grade bash) and my five-year-old son wants to know when it’s his turn. He has a point, but there’s the cost to consider. Because my daughter went on school trips, she didn’t pay full price. Now, we’re searching out some other deals for us.

There are some. If you want to head to an amusement park this summer, before you pull out your wallet to pay full price at the admission gate, check out some of these money-saving options.

Buy your tickets on-line or look for deals at grocery stores. Here is a link to Cedar Point’s discount ticket information. Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, Ohio. One way you can save money is to get 14 other people to go with you. For groups of 15 or more, you can save more than $10 a ticket. We have done this before. Once at Kalahari Water Park, also in Sandusky, we found out that if we had a birthday party we could all get free pizza and a drink along with discount tickets. It was no one’s birthday, but we’re not picky.

Kings Island, located between Columbus and Cincinnati has discount tickets available at Kroger grocery stores and online right now. The online price is for advance sales so you can’t buy these on the same day you’re going. Plan ahead. For a great deal on food, add the all you can eat barbeque. Last year we had a friend who had discount tickets through work. The barbeque was included. It was a lot of food and good. Other grocery stores around th U.S. often have discounts–so do banks. Ask around.

Right now, on the Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park site, you can buy a one day ticket and get the second day free. Or you can try Rahim Rahman’s method in the picture. Lots of luck with this one. I’d let him in.

Here are four Web sites to help you find discount tickets near you. I found the above deals by looking on the park’s sites and poking around.

For more discount ideas, check out: How to Save Money at Amusement Parks. Now, all I have to do is remember my own advice.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of June 3

by Adrienne Wilson on

Another adventure awaits me and so I must pack, but before running off to do so let me point you to some of this week’s fun-filled and informative posts touching on food, islands, business travel and one of the best Talking Travel interviews yet!

5. Haiti Part 6: A Few Last Words:
My quick weekend trip to the Caribbean land of Haiti in summary can be found by visiting the link above along with other links packed with pictures of Port-au-Prince and Jacmel, Haiti. Check out the lesser explored Carib nation.

4. Hey Americans! Take a Vacation:
It is so true – Americans vacation the least compared to the rest of the world. What gives? Read Gadling’s cry out for more Americans to start taking time off and start planning your own escape.

3. Combining Business and Pleasure and how to Write it Off:
As someone who does a lot of travel for work related purposes it can be both enjoyable and a pain. The painful part if the expense reporting and keeping track of every single receipt. For those that experience the same kind of write-off and tax issues check out this how-to Neil does a fine job pointing us all to. Hopefully, this will help decrease some of the headache.

2. Top Ten Restaurants You Can Take a Boat To:
Ready for a hot, but cool dinner date? Taking a boat to a restaurant might just be the spice or icing (whichever you prefer) your dinner date is in need of and with that we present you with some of the top ten restaurants to make it happen.

1. Talking Travel with Conor Grennan:
If you haven’t been acquainted with Conor Grennan yet – NOW is the time! In this amazing and touching Talking Travel piece we learn that Conor is doing more than just hanging out in Nepal. He has been trekking through the Himalayas, reuniting trafficked children with their parents… WOW. How is that for meaningful travel? Read the full scoop for yourself!

Where On Earth (Week 11): Amsterdam

by Willy Volk on

There were lots of good guesses in this week’s Where on Earth, but only one person got it right: Richblackmon was correct in thinking that this fruit stall resides in Amsterdam. In fact, this image was captured near the Leidseplein, a popular square in the vibrant city.

In December 2000, I was traveling from Africa to the US for a month-long home leave. I hadn’t been since I’d left, in July 1998.

We decided to arrange a 3-day layover in Amsterdam in the middle of the return trip. Western enough to feel like home, but foreign enough to feel like I was “transitioning,” Amsterdam served as a brilliant stop-over. We visited the Van Gogh Museum. We toured Anne Frank’s House. We drank beer from those funny little glasses the Dutch serve beer in. But the thing that sticks out most in my mind was the fruit. Maybe it was because I had been living in rural Africa for 2.5 years, but the fruit sold in Amsterdam seemed to me the best in the world.

We ate strawberries the size of Roma tomatoes. The raspberries were the size of ping pong balls. The colors of the fruit were so vibrant, so dazzling, and so rich that I inspected each one carefully before devouring its sweet juiciness. We ate some traditional Dutch meals, but most of the time, we ate from street vendors and fruit stalls. It was amazing. And this picture perfectly captures that.

If you ever visit Amsterdam, be certain to buy some of the fruit and sample it. You’ll remember it forever.

Cutlery on the Go

by Justin Glow on

UncommonGoods.com has a lot of interesting travel gear for sale, including this Cutlery on the Go silverware set.

“Handy for travel, camping, and ‘on the go’ activities, the nomad is a fork, a knife, a spoon and a bottle opener in one – that folds neatly into a plastic compact cover when not in use.” The cover is attached to a 34″ nylon strap so you can wear it around your neck for easy access. Then you can punch some holes in ketchup packets and wear them as earings, duct tape some hot dogs to your chest, and fashion a shirt out of napkins.

You’ll be set for lunch. [via]

Italian Festivals in Australia and Elsewhere

by Kelly Amabile on

Since all I seem to be seeing this week is red, white and green, I thought I’d compile a quick list of some celebrated Italian festivals currently taking place around the world. Cultural festivals like this can be a fun alternative way to experience a city you already know well, or a unique way to experience a city the first time around.

We’ve just missed the inagural Italian Festival Week in Dubai, but now you know about it and can plan accordingly for next year! Here are a few others where you can still get your fill of la dolce vita!

Sydney Italian Festival: Events still to come include a heritage tour (June 8) and foodies walking tour of Norton Street (June 9). The Italian Film Fest was kicked off earlier this past weekend by bella Sophia Loren. Events continue through June 11.

Melbourne Italian Festival: Federation Square hosts a photographic exhibit depicting the carnival of Viareggio in Toscana; And Lygon Street in Carlton will be transformed to a piazza this weekend, complete with its very own Colosseum. Runs through June 10.

Bangkok: The Bella Italia Italian Festival has been going on since May and continues through the end of June. Events include a tour of monuments designed by Italian Architects in Bangkok (June 9), photo exhibits and simultaneous Italian Film and Food Festivals, the latter of which continues through July 3.

Charleston, SC: Spoleto USA is a 17-day performing arts festival created as counterpart to a similar festival held every year in Italy. Spoleto turns 30 this year, and is acknowledging in a special way festival founder Gian Carlo Menotti who passed away in February. Piccolo Spoleto is a localized version of the event that runs simultaneously, focusing on artists of the Southeast region. Both festivals are currently underway.